Lodi tourism sags as economy slumps

LODI - Lodi tourism continued to struggle in 2010 as the market for hotels, business conferences and attendance at local events declined.

Keith Reid

LODI - Lodi tourism continued to struggle in 2010 as the market for hotels, business conferences and attendance at local events declined.

Visit Lodi! Director Nancy Beckman presented her group's annual report to the City Council at a special meeting Tuesday morning.

"We saw our big drop from 2008 to 2009, and now we're just flat," Beckman said. "The economy as a whole is sluggish, and people are cutting back on discretionary expenses. Travel, unfortunately, is a discretionary expense."

Beckman said that many tourism-based businesses - hotels, those with meeting rooms and event organizers that can no longer attract enough vendors to be successful - are struggling.

The wine industry, however, continues to be a draw.

More than 2 million people came to Lodi wineries and tasting rooms in 2010, contributing to the region's $400 million revenues.

Where tourism business needs to step up, she said, is in attracting people to stay overnight and spend money at hotels and restaurants.

Council members appeared to be understanding of the situation, knowing that unemployment figures continue to hover above 15 percent.

"I went for the first time this year, and I think it's a huge opportunity," he said.

Beckman said the group is thinking of ways to partner with the festival and find hotels that can package deals for visitors who are known to come to Lodi from out of state to see the cranes.

Along with that idea, Beckman said her organization is ramping up efforts in 2011 to attract new visitors to Lodi. The group will produce 20,000 travel planner magazines, an attraction map and guide, and a facilities brochure.

Beckman said social networking will be key as well. Visit Lodi! has trained tourist-based businesses how to be effective on sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

"More people want to get their information that way, especially the younger demographic," she said.